Empty Netter Assists - 02-28-11
(Note: We'll be live blogging today's trade deadline today directly from our couch. As trades come in, we'll be posting them and offering our take.)
Penguins
-Don't expect Ray Shero to do much today.
-Brett Sterling had two goals for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in a 5-4 win against the Springfield Falcons. Tim Wallace added a goal and two assists for the Penguins while Ryan Craig netted a goal and an assist. Brad Thiessen made 13 saves in the victory.
-Patrick Killeen made 23 saves for the Wheeling Nailers in a 4-2 loss to the Greenville Road Warriors.
-Happy 42nd birthday to former Penguins forward Shawn McEachern (right). A sixth-round pick in 1987, McEachern spent parts of four seasons with the Penguins over two stints. After playing in the 1992 Olympics in Albertville, McEachern made his NHL debut late in 1991-92 by appearing in 15 games for the Penguins and recording four assists. In the postseason, he played in 19 games and scored nine points while helping the franchise win its second Stanley Cup championship. His first full season in the NHL was 1992-93. He played in all 84 games and scored 61 points. In that spring's postseason, he appeared in 12 games and scored five points. In the 1993 offseason, McEachern was traded to the Kings in exchange for Marty McSorley. Midway through 1993-94, McEachern came back to Pittsburgh along with Tomas Sandstrom in exchange McSorely and Jim Paek. He finished that season by playing in 27 games for the Penguins and scoring 21 points. During the 1994 postseason, McEachern played in six games and scored one goal. In the lockout-shortened 1994-95 season, McEachern played in 44 games and scored 26 points. In 11 postseason games that spring, he recorded two assists. During the 1995 offseason, McEachern and Kevin Stevens were traded to the Bruins in exchange for Glen Murray, Bryan Smolinski and a draft pick. In 170 regular season games for the Penguins, McEachern scored 112 points, 68th-most in franchise history. In 48 postseason games, he scored 17 points.
-Happy 64th birthday to former Penguins defenseman Barry Wilkins (right). Acquired early in the 1974-75 season in a deal which sent Ab DeMarco to the Canucks, Wilkins spent parts of two seasons with the Penguins. He finished 1974-75 by appearing in 59 games and scoring 34 points. During that spring's postseason, he played in three games and failed to record a point. In 1975-76, Wilkins appeared in 75 games and scored 27 points (all assists). He played in three postseason games that spring and recorded one assist. Wilkins left the team in the 1976 offseason by joining the WHA's Edmonton Oilers as a free agent. In 134 regular season games with the Penguins, Wilkins scored 61 points. In six postseason games, he recorded one assist.
-Happy 38th birthday to former Penguins forward Ryan VandenBussche. Signed prior to the 2004-05 lockout, the enforcer's Penguins career amounted to 20 games, one goal and 42 penalty minutes in 2005-06. He left the organization in the 2006 offseason when he signed with Jokerit Helsinki of the SM-liiga in Finland.
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Atlantic Division
-In his first game back since suffering a knee injury Feb. 6, Martin Brodeur made 25 saves for the Devils in a 2-1 defeat of the Panthers. The Devils are 17-2-2 in their last 21 games.
-Cool Photo of the Night: Florida's Dmitry Kulikov > New Jersey's David Clarkson:
-"We're still a long ways off making the playoffs. It would be a huge gamble to stay. But I have to weigh all my options." - Devils forward Jason Arnott on the possibility of being traded.
-During yesterday's game against the Lightning, the Rangers honored a 100-year-old fan:
Northeast Division
-A goal and an assist by Michael Ryder led the Bruins to a 3-2 win at Edmonton. Tuukka Rask made 15 saves in the victory. The Bruins have won nine consecutive games against the Oilers.
-Fight of the Night: Boston's Milan Lucic versus Edmonton's Jim Vandermeer:
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-A good look at the fight:
-Fight Call of the Night: NESN's Jack Edwards calling this bout between Boston's Nathan Horton and Edmonton's Theo Peckham:
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-The Terry Pegula ownership era in Buffalo has truly begun. The Sabres acquired forward Brad Boyes from the Blues in exchange for a second-round pick in this summer's draft. Boyes has a salary cap hit of $4 million and will become a free agent after 2011-12.
-EN Says: How thrilling must this move be for Sabres' fans? Boyes isn't an elite player by any means, but he's a top-six player. The Sabres just never made an acquisition like this at the trade deadline under the ownership of Tom Golisano. This is a complete change of direction under Pegula. And it's refreshing to see.
-There's at least one member of the Senators staying put. The Senators signed defenseman Chris Phillips to a three-year contract worth $9.25 million. The deal includes a no-trade clause. He will have a salary cap hit of $3.08 millon.
-Bruins defenseman and former Penguin Andrew Ference is dealing with a "lower-body" injury.
-Maple Leafs goaltender James Reimer left yesterday's game in Atlanta due to an undisclosed injury.
-A good look at Reimer's lid complete with images of CBC broadcaster Ron MacLean and Don Cherry:
-The Senators demoted forwards Colin Greening, Corey Locke and Roman Wick to Binghamton of the AHL.
Southeast Division
-A goal and an assist by Martin St. Louis helped the Lightning edge the Rangers, 2-1. Dwayne Roloson made 22 saves in the victory.
-An overtime goal by Ron Hainsey gave the Thrashers a 3-2 win against the Maple Leafs. Chris Mason made 22 saves in the victory.
-Happy times for Hainsey and captain Andrew Ladd:
-Hainsey and Mason had issues with this puck:
-"That’s the first overtime one since I was like 10." - Hainsey on his rare goal.
-The Hurricanes are still awaiting tests on injured captain Eric Staal. Staal suffered an "upper-body" injury Friday when he was hit by Penguins defenseman Matt Niskanen.
-The Lightning expect former Penguins forward Ryan Malone (abdominal injury) to return to the lineup by April.
-The Capitals demoted goaltender Todd Ford to Hershey of the AHL.
-Panthers forward Hugh Jessiman made his NHL debut. He was the last member of the 2003 draft class' first round to play in the NHL.
Central Division
-Captain Jonathan Toews' shootout goal gave the Blackhawks a 4-3 win against the Blackhawks. Toews had two goals in regulation while teammate Patrick Kane recorded two assists. Corey Crawford made 26 saves in the victory. Keith Yandle had a goal and an assist for Phoenix in regulation.
-Chicago coach Joel Quenneville made an obscene hand gesture at referee Stephane Auger:
-It was a rough night all around for Auger:
-Saluting times in Chicago:
-A goal and an assist by captain Shea Weber led the Predators a 3-2 win against the rival Blue Jackets. Pekke Rinne made 27 saves in the victory.
-The Blackhawks signed defenseman Brent Seabrook on a five-year contract extension worth worth $29 million. He will have a salary cap hit of $5.8 million.
-It doesn't sound like Red Wings general manager Ken Holland plans on being busy today.
Northwest Division
-Miikka Kiprusoff made 27 saves for the Flames in a 1-0 shutout of the Blues. It was his fifth shutout of the season.
-We don't want to say St. Louis' David Backes tried to interfere with Kiprusoff, but...:
-St. Louis' Andy McDonald and Calgary's Brendan Morrison had issues:
-Is Wild backup goaltender Jose Theodore a hot commodity today?
Pacific Division
-Dan Ellis made 22 saves for the Ducks in a 3-2 win against the Avalanche. Bobby Ryan recorded two assists for Anaheim.
-Check out this re-direction goal by Anaheim's Todd Marchant:
-It wasn't all bad for the Avalanche. Check out this smooth pass by Colorado's Matt Duchene to set up Kevin Porter for a goal:
-Colorado's Cody McLeod and Anaheim's Sheldon Brookbank had issues:
-Marchant being popular, dentally challenged:
-Anaheim captain Ryan Getzlaf got down low for this puck:
-The Ducks have some peculiar goal celebrations:
(Photos: Shero-Post-Gazette; McEachern and Wilkins-Penguins Hockey Cards; Devils/Panthers-J Pat Carter/Associated Press; Bruins/Oilers-John Ulan/Canadian Press; Maple Leafs/Thrashers-Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images; Coyotes/Blackhawks-Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images and Brian Kersey/Associated Press; Blues/Flames-Jeff McIntosh/Canadian Press; Mike Ridewood/Getty Images; Avalanche/Ducks-Jeff Gross/Getty Images)